


Heroes Like You

by PandaWritesPoorly



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Gen, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Has Anxiety, mental health
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:21:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22354030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandaWritesPoorly/pseuds/PandaWritesPoorly
Summary: When an akuma attack spawns from a panic attack, the wrong discussion spawns from it, and Marinette can feel the pressure.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 31
Kudos: 277





	Heroes Like You

**Author's Note:**

> First things first, that title. I didn't know what to put, so that's what it is. I'm not exactly happy with it.  
> Secondly, I wrote this very quickly last night because I realized the potential that Miraculous had for discussions on mental health. Then I realized the mess we have instead. This isn't quite what I had initially been thinking of, but it needed to be short, because I had to get to bed. I'll expand on my thoughts at the bottom if you're interested.  
> I kind of didn't want to post this, which is why it's closer to 'evening' than 'late afternoon'.

Marinette doesn’t want to look at the news. It just makes her feel sick. The last akuma had been a result of someone having a panic attack.

As if panic attacks weren’t already scary enough, now they have the added fear of akumatization tied to them.

Now a bunch of morons are calling for anyone with a mental disorder to either be under surveillance, or shipped out of the city. It’s absolutely ludicrous.

It’s just wrong.

She can’t focus, she can’t think, because some part of her has always thought about this.  _ She’s _ got an anxiety disorder.  _ Ladybug _ has an anxiety disorder.

Is she unfit for being a hero? She messed up immediately, and sure, she’s ‘the chosen one’, but Fu couldn’t have known that she was (is) such a mess.

Tikki is looking at her in concern. They’ve already spoken about it, but Marinette can tell she’s about to start again.

She’s not ready for that.

Shaking her head, Marinette transforms.

Ladybug exits the room, heading across the rooftops for a run. She’s done this before when she was feeling upset, but it’s different this time.

It’s more than just something at school, or just teenage life in general. This is a city-wide problem.

She’s not sure if it’s a loud minority that’s coming after disorders, or a loud majority. Her brain tells her it must be a majority,  _ because who would want a hero who can’t even go to school without worrying about- _

No no no, that’s not productive.

She can feel herself shaking, which means that she should probably take a break.

_ If you stop here, people might see you. They’ll see you freaking out and they’ll know they’ll know they’ll  _ **_know._ **

Not. Productive.

Ladybug spots the Eiffel Tower, deciding she’ll wait up there. She’ll just sit there until she  _ doesn’t _ look like a complete wreck.

Easy.

This is fine. Everything’s fine.

She’s not fooled, but does eventually make it to the top without falling off.

Putting her yo-yo away, she takes a moment to properly assess herself. Her hands are shaking like a broken mixer. It’s pretty bad, she’s usually not this visible about it.

Oh Kwami, if she’s shaking  _ this _ bad, maybe someone  _ saw. _

Not to mention that she’s borderline hyperventilating, which probably wasn’t helped by not taking a break, and then just  _ scaling the Eiffel Tower. _

This is a terrible time for her to freak out. She’s not fit to be a hero. All of those people are right. She shouldn’t-

“Hey, LB!”

Chat’s cheerful voice breaks through her thoughts. She looks up at him, meeting his eyes. Ladybug can tell the moment he properly takes her in.

Oh great, someone’s seen now, he’ll be so disgusted. She just wanted to be a hero  _ so _ badly that she couldn’t just let someone more  _ stable  _ do it.

“Ladybug?” Chat sits down, scootching a little closer and reaching towards her gently, “What’s wrong? You’re crying.”

Oh. She is.

Wiping her face with the heel of her hand, she manages shakily, “‘t’s nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

“It must if you’re so upset.”

He really is a sweetheart. She gives him a soft smile and takes a minute to get some control over her breathing again.

She’s still shaking, but it’s not as bad.

“Have you seen the news? From the last akuma?”

He nods, and waits for her to continue.

“I… I have an anxiety disorder,” her voice breaks slightly, “A- a lot of what they’re saying… it’s just- I’ve never been able to shake the- the feeling that I’m not fit for this, and all of  _ that _ is…” she trails off, knowing he’ll understand.

She braces for his confirmation. That she’s a fraud. A mess that shouldn’t be playing hero, when she’s just a girl with a stupid broken mind that can’t go a day without freaking out about something  _ stupid. _

“Bug…” he whispers. She turns to see him, tears visible in his eyes, holding his arms out in offer of a hug.

A sob escapes her as she accepts it. He wraps his arms around her, holding her comfortingly.

“You know all of those people are idiots, right? They’re just a bunch of discriminatory jerks using this as an excuse to drum up fear. You’re the best hero Paris could ask for.”

She laughs, “S-second best. Can’t forget about you.”

“I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree then.”

They hug in silence for a moment longer before Ladybug speaks again, “We should do something. We’re the official sources of all things akuma after all.”

The two break apart, but Chat keeps an arm on her back and she leans against his shoulder.

“What did you have in mind? We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“Well…”

* * *

“Hey, Ladybloggers! Alya here! Today we’ve got a special treat,  _ both  _ heroes are here to speak with us! Say hello to Chat Noir and Ladybug!” Alya sits across from the camera as she gestures at the two.

They wave.

“So, what brings you here?”

“We’d like to clear up some misconceptions,” Chat begins.

Ladybug nods, “I’m sure everyone one is aware of the ‘debate’ that sparked from the most recent akuma in regards to mental illness.”

Alya wrinkles her nose, “Unfortunately, yes.”

“Well, we’d like to state it clearly that  _ anyone _ with  _ any  _ sort of mental illness is not at all more of a threat to the city than anyone else. Threatening and attacking them is only making Hawkmoth’s job easier. This shouldn’t even  _ be _ a debate.”

Chat continues, “It’s pretty easy to see that this environment that has taken root in Paris is only going to make akumatizations  _ more  _ likely. No one is doing anyone any favors by wrongfully coming after them for something they aren’t at fault for.”

Alya smiles, “Glad to see you two have some sense. I personally have been disgusted by the insanity that’s been going on. Thank you for giving your input, I hope that’ll be enough to get people to see sense.”

“Well,” Ladybug interjects, “There’s one more thing I’d like to say before we head out.”

Chat grips her hand comfortingly, a silent show of support.

Alya nods, “Of course, go ahead.”

“I know it must be easy to make the assumption that someone with a mental health disorder is automatically at a higher risk of akumatization. This couldn’t be more wrong. Akumatization isn’t anyone’s fault but Hawkmoth’s.” She looks directly at the camera,” I want all of you out there that are being targeted, that feel unsafe because suddenly you’re being threatened due to something you can’t control, that I’m with you. I have an anxiety disorder. Just looking at the news makes me feel sick, and I’ve had several anxiety attacks since this began. I  _ still _ haven’t fully calmed down, if we’re being honest. The point is, I, Ladybug, am one of those people that, if the internet is to be believed, should be shipped out of Paris. That couldn’t be more wrong. My mind is a mess, but I am not some sort of risk. I’ll admit I’ve attracted akumas before, but so have many others. If you demonize people just for  _ feeling, _ you’ll only be playing into Hawkmoth’s hands.”

Alya looks at her for a moment, “Can I hug you?”

Ladybug smiles, hugging the journalist as she and Chat stand to go.

“Thank you,” They all say at once, laughing slightly at their unison.

Ladybug feels a little better.

**Author's Note:**

> There you go.  
> So basically, I was thinking about the fact that the 'villains' are just everyday people that got upset. That's it. There's not a bias against them for being upset, and while I'm pretty sure it's because of the mess that is the writing, I just think it could have led to an interesting discussion as Paris worked on moving past the fact that these people caused damage, and instead trying to help them through their issues. Does that make sense? I can expand on that if I need to.  
> Anyways, then I got myself all worked up and angry because instead of that, or even some other important thought-provoking theme, we've got... whatever you want to call this. Am I bitter about this? What would give you that idea? Whatever would give the impression that I, an author whose most popular work is a Chameleon salt fic, am bitter about the writing of the show?  
> I'm sure everyone who has been in the fandom for longer than a second can agree that Marinette has anxiety, or has at least seen a fanwork where she does. Guess who else has anxiety? This girl! Yeah, I'm not happy about it either. Going through the majority of my school years with undiagnosed social anxiety was a nightmare, let me tell you.  
> I'm on [tumblr](https://pandawritespoorly.tumblr.com/)! Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave any thoughts, theories, constructive criticism, or anything really in the comments below! I love getting that notification!


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